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HighlightsRecent announcements by the federal
government identifying the next rounds of Manufacturing Innovation Institutes
(MIIs) have selected topics for public-private funding opportunities that
potentially provide opportunity for nanomaterials and nanomanufacturing
technologies. The selected topics, which include $200M in public-private
funding for an Integrated
Photonics Institute (IP), and $150M a Flexible Hybrid Electronics
(FHE) Institute, each have critical aspects enabled through nanotechnology.
Flexible hybrid electronics inherently incorporate printed electronics that
involve the processing of various inks containing nanomaterials, such as carbon
nanotubes, graphene, or metallic and metal oxide nanoparticles...

Highlights NanoBCA was fortunate to engage in a conversation with Dr. Michael A. Meador, the recently appointed Director of the National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (“NNCO”) on February 10, 2015.
Dr. Meador, who is technically on loan from NASA to NNCO for this assignment, has a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Michigan State University where he began his career thinking about matter at the molecular scale. While at NASA, Dr. Meador’s efforts included development of “game-changing” technologies from the TRL 4 to TRL 6 levels with a focus on specific technologies such as carbon nanotube based structural composites, nano-based sensors for chemical and biotech detection, among others.
The following excerpt, from the NNCO website...

Press ReleasesResearchers from UPM have developed a manufacturing
method of aluminum optical nanosensors on versatile substrates that can
be used for wearable devices and smart labels. A new method developed at the Institute of Optoelectronics Systems and Microtechnology (ISOM) from the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid
(UPM) will enable the fabrication of optical nanosensors capable of
sticking on uneven surfaces and biological surfaces like human skin.
This result can boost the use of wearable devices to monitor parameters
such as temperature, breath and heart pressure. Besides, it is a low
cost technology since they use materials like standard polycarbonate
compact disks...

Press ReleasesResearchers create silicon nanofibers 100 times thinner than human hair
for potential applications in batteries for electric cars and personal
electronicsResearchers at the University of California, Riverside’s Bourns College of Engineering
have developed a novel paper-like material for lithium-ion batteries.
It has the potential to boost by several times the specific energy, or
amount of energy that can be delivered per unit weight of the battery.
This paper-like material is composed of sponge-like silicon
nanofibers more than 100 times thinner than human hair. It could be used
in batteries for electric vehicles and personal electronics.
The findings were just published in a paper...